HISTORY OF THE SOUTH EAST SUBURBAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE UMPIRES' ASSOCIATION
Compiled by long-serving SFLUA member and past president, David Luttrell.
An informal association had been in operation on a social basis since the formation of the South East Suburban Football League in 1963, itself born of a merger between the Eastern Suburbs Football League (formed 1932) and the Caulfield Oakleigh Football League (formed 1934).
Life Member, DAVE TRIPLOW shares some details of life back in the days prior to this merger:
"I started as a boundary umpire in the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League in 1957. We trained at the Oakleigh FG with Jack Finnegan as the "umpires coach" and Wally Wilde as the iron fisted League and Umpires Board Secretary. Jack did have classes and there was a fairly well organised social function which ended the season with a dance at the Anglers Club besides the railway line at Oakleigh. A bloke called Robertson (not John of latter note) was the social secretary of the umpires.
I still have vivid memories of being trapped in the umpires room whilst a multitude of Oakleigh District supporters tried to get in to attack the field umpire after he gave a free in the dying minutes of a final, and the time the gas water heater blew up at Oakleigh and several Murrumbeena players went to hospital by ambulance. I thought that Jack Finnegan was most helpful, especially to the young umpires. I was only 13 when I started on the boundary for two years and then started the field at Duncan McKinnon Reserve. No showers, freezing cold morning with a boundary game in the afternoon. Transport was either bus and train or your bike.
I did my first senior game at the age of 16 years, Carnegie v Oakleigh Districts in B Grade, after a senior umpire became suddenly ill and I was given the game after running the boundary in the under 15 finals. I still recall the entire Umpires Panel being at the game for the duration and the relief when they found that they had made a wise choice. (Or at least I controlled what was then the two roughest teams in the comp). The amalgamation of the CODFL and the Eastern Suburbs was announced to a joint group of umpires at Glenferrie Oval. Don't ask me why."
Things were pretty tough back in the formative years of the SESFLUA, and it was only through the efforts of a few dedicated, forward-thinking (and stubborn) individuals that we exist at all.
Following is a narrative on these times prepared by NICK LE PLASTRIER which provides an idea of what it took to get a foothold in the football community back in the early 1960's:
"Jack Finnigan was Umpires Advisor back in 1963/64 and umpire training took place at Packer Reserve (South Murrumbeena's ground) opposite the home of league secretary, Wally Wilde, in Leila Road Carnegie, where it remained until the early/mid 1980's. Training was not supervised and there were no lectures. My first introduction as a Field Umpire went something like this:
Here's a set of match reports, a copy of the competition rules and ground locations. You'll need a whistle, and a copy of the AFC Rules which you can pick up from any sports store. Your appointment is Murrumbeena Districts v Oakleigh Under 17 at 11.45am at Duncan McKinnon Reserve. The fee was £1-5 ($2.50). First Division was $5.00.
I wore white cricket boots, white footy shorts, white business shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and black socks. I had no idea of the pre- and post-game procedures, didn't hold the ball up for the start of each quarter, and blew my whistle before every centre bounce! Both club delegates nevertheless thought I had done a "good job", showed me how to fill out the match report, and each gave me 12/6 ($1.25). Welcome to Umpiring!!!!
With no "coaching" as such, umpiring was learned from either watching other, more experienced, umpires; asking the board; or as a direct result of complaints coming from league delegate meetings. Advisor Finnigan would address "those who bothered to attend training" about particular issues. On the whole, the umpiring group was a disorganised bunch and the standard was very ordinary. In these times, the late Geoff House was the umpires' spokesman, charged with discussing issues with the umpires' board and trying to arrange anything social. Geoff, as with umpires as a whole, were recognised only as a "necessary evil" and afforded no respect or official recognition by the person controlling the SESFL at the time - Mr Wally Wilde. Geoff was the Division 1 Grand Final Umpire for a long period, but complained eventually that his position of conflict with the board was being used to deprive him of Grand Final appointments, so he resigned from that role.
Leo Burmeister and Nick Le Plastrier, both new and not really in the hunt for finals, took on the role of trying to build some social camaraderie within the umpiring group - with little or no success among the older, established, group of umpires.
By 1967, after two years of struggle for minimal reward, Leo and Nick put it to the group that they disband and split the remaining funds between themselves, but things were about to change for the better. Steve Stevens (1966 VFL Grand Final Goal Umpire) had arrived as Umpires' Advisor and emphatically put it to Leo and Nick that "there will be an Association, and you leave the league and the board to me......you will get co-operation and your Association will prosper.....now go and get it fixed up!" Thus the South East Suburban Football League Umpires Association was born, with its first Office Bearers being Bob Dight (Pres), David Triplow (Vice Pres), Nick Le Plastrier (Sec), and John Robinson (Treas). The Association at last began to receive recognition from the controlling body, including representation on the league board, and supervised training followed by lectures became mandatory - even for goal umpires who were required to attend every four weeks. The level of social activity increased dramatically, and Steve had brought with him a masseur/trainer who organised hot soup and other food on training nights (as well as attending to all manner of ailments) - Bob Boyles was deservedly awarded Life Membership for his efforts and was further recognised by having the "Best Clubman" trophy struck in his honour.
1967 was the Year of Excitement for the SESFLUA, and we just grew from that. 1968 began the consolidation phase, and changes at the league board brought people with a more professional outlook, thus increasing recognition of the role of umpires and their Association. Regrettably, though, by 1968 Steve Stevens had stepped on a few too many toes at league level and he departed, but his legacy remained - as it does today - in the form of a thriving Umpires' Association. Many have carried the banner and worked long and hard through the years, but it was Steve Stevens who made those at the time believe in themselves and develop the confidence to stand alone and draw the hard-earned respect from the SESFL.
Geoff House was appointed Chairman of the Umpires' Appointments Board for the duration of Steve's reign, and was then appointed advisor following his departure. Geoff sadly passed away in only his second year in that position (1970), and was posthumously honoured with a "Most Dedicated Umpire" award being struck in his name. Bob Dight came to be advisor thereafter - following a very similar format to Steve Stevens, but with a very different style. And so, with our inaugural President now spearheading our group as Umpires' Advisor, the SESFLUA continued to grow from strength to strength."
An era ended in September 1978 when Bob Dight stood down as umpire’s advisor. He was replaced by former VAFA Grand Final umpire Trevor Rowe who ruled with an iron fist for four years before becoming the full-time SESFL secretary. During that time (1982) the training venue was shifted from Packer Reserve to the League’s new headquarters at Princes Park Caulfield. The social rooms were a vast improvement on Packer Reserve and the training surface more even. The Association was able to buy and store a range of training/gym equipment in its own secure space.
A further influx of umpires (of the goal variety) was received warmly in 1982 with the demise of the Federal League, from which a number of clubs also joined the SESFL fold, and the association continued its march to the present day. 1982 also saw the introduction of the two-umpire system to the SESFL, with Kevin Clarke and Bob Parker umpiring the first two-umpire Division 1 Grand Final (Clayton v Ashburton). John O'Connor also claims a place in our history as the last umpire to tackle a one-umpire Division 1 Grand Final, that being 1981's battle between Ashburton and Tooronga-Malvern.
Advisors came and went. In 1983, Alan Hales, for four years Trevor Rowe’s Assistant and father of former advisor Tony Hales, held the position for a year. He was followed by former AFL Grand Final umpire, Don Jolley, Foster Rossetto and Ian Smith, before Hugh Halliburton spent four years in the job. In 1992, Ian Bennett became Advisor and assisted with the amalgamation of the SFLUA and ESCFLUA into one body.
The 80’s were memorable for the number of 1st Division Grand Finals umpired by goal umpire Brian Marriott who, despite standing down for a year to act as Umpires Board Chair, amassed 7 appearances in the big one. The night of the long knives in 1983, when four senior umpires were unceremoniously sacked, only to all be later reinstated, provided a great deal of intrigue, while, for the first time, women joined the Association as running members. (And, for the record, Steve Stevens umpired in 5 finals series from 1962 to 1966 including 3 VFL Grand Finals before heading down to the SESFL.
The above history would not have been possible without the invaluable assistance of Nick Le Plastrier, Peter Martin, Bob Dight, Daryl Cornelius, John Kenny, and Dave Triplow, who have proven by their efforts that the dedication they showed during the active phases of their careers in either forming, or furthering, their respective Associations extends to the present day. Each, in turn has contributed immeasurably to our past, and by consequence our future. They, and those who stood with them, deserve a huge vote of thanks from us all.